The Great Gatsby Lies and Deceit Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #10

"You said a bad driver was only safe until she met another bad driver? Well, I met another bad driver, didn't I? I mean it was careless of me to make such a wrong guess. I thought you were rather an honest, straightforward person. I thought it was your secret pride."

"I'm thirty," I said. "I'm five years too old to lie to myself and call it honor." (9.134-35)

(1) What is Nick lying to himself about? Loving Jordan? Having honest intentions toward her? Or something else? (2) Why do you have to stop lying to yourself at 25? And, if 30 is the new 20, does that mean we get an extra decade of deceit?

Quote #11

He broke off defiantly. "What if I did tell him? That fellow had it coming to him. He threw dust into your eyes just like he did in Daisy's, but he was a tough one. He ran over Myrtle like you'd run over a dog and never even stopped his car."

There was nothing I could say, except the one unutterable fact that it wasn't true. (9.142-43)

Sometimes honesty isn't the best policy. Gatsby's dead, and Nick has to protect Daisy; he has to lie to keep her safe. Busted! Guess Nick isn't so honest after all. Or, is this actually the more honest and moral choice? Tricky.